Chicago-brasilian orchestras

[Linda Binder]

In case you're looking for something to do in Chicago Thursday night 7/24 -- There will be two, free, outdoor Brasilian orchestra concerts in Chicago just a few blocks apart this Thursday at the same time! (6:30pm) In Millenium Park will be my friend Paulinho Garcia leading a Bossa Nova concert, Orquestra Brazzilli, featuring Joao Donato.

Simultaneously, a few blocks south in Grant Park, I'll be playing with Orquestra de Samba (pictured below) in a samba concert with the Passista Dance Ensemble for Chicago Summer Dance.

[brunello97]

Great photo, Linda, and by the looks of it a fabulous ensemble. Be careful you don't wind up with a 'bone in your ear!

Mick

[Mandolusional]

That sounds awesome! Unfortunately I'll be leaving town that evening, but I'll pass the word along to my friends and coworkers.

[Ted Eschliman]

Great pic, except everyone needs to cheer up a little.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
Nice to see the 10-string get some stage time, too! Wish I could be there.

[Doug Hoople]

Wish I was passing through Chicago on Thursday.

Good luck and enjoy!

[delsbrother]

OT, but... Is that a Yamaha silent cello? Howzit sound?

[Linda Binder]

Thanks for the good thoughts! I think it will be a fun concert. I love playing in that group. The weather for the thursday concert (outdoors) shouldn't be too bad either...if the weather report is close to correct. Hah!

I think it is a Yamaha cello. Its a recent purchase for the cellist. It sounds good but lacks a bit of the warmth of his acoustic. He likes the plug and play ease of it, volume control on the instrument and lack of feedback AND the fact he can keep his good cello safe at home! He did mention that the body depth isn't the same as his acoustic and that takes some adjustment, other than that he seems glad to have it. Luciano, the guitarist, has been playing his acoustic 7 string lately but he also has a "skeletal" guitar that looks a lot like the cello -- probably a Yamaha as well. I was tempted to get the violin to complete the techno Brasilian bowling team look but ...nah. I do want a five string violin though! I like the low C course on the bandolim and it would be great to have the counterpart on the "bowed mandolin". (keeping mandolin content high)

[delsbrother]

"Silent" Bandolim (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47333&highlight=yamaha+silent)

[Al Bergstein]

Linda, how do you end up mic-ing yourself for a setup with horns like that? Do you have internal on that 10 string, or do you use a specific mic? I've not had too many problems being heard since I moved to the bandolim (they do tend to be louder!), above most instruments, but we aren't finding any horns yet wanting to play up here in the Pacific NW. Would like to know if there's anything you've found to be worth thinking about. I've got a Sennheiser 914, with windscreen, which is fabulous for studio work but haven't tried it outside yet.

[Linda Binder]

Hi Al,
I have a K&K twin head pickup installed in the bandolim. I run it, and my violin (sometimes an acoustic with a Shertler, sometimes my NS five string-which I was only dreaming of getting when this thread got started!) into a two channel DI/pre-amp Tonebone by Radial which I seriously love: http://www.tonebone.com/tb-pzpre.htm
I have that at my feet so I can toggle between instruments, adjust volume, or mute for tuning, etc. I have in my box of "stuff", ( a wheeled, locking file box from an office supply store with a telescoping handle--useful thing for gigs!) a little headphone monitor ( a tiny Behringer http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/422075-REG/Behringer_MA400_MA400_MICROMON_Miniature.html that works "ok") and headphones in case I'm in a really difficult situation with poor monitoring but I rarely use that. I bring a small AER amp as a personal monitor in case the venue doesn't provide a monitor and that usually does the trick. There was one event last summer the headphones came in handy due to lots of wind.

Yesterday we played in an acoustically lively hall for a Brazilian music festival with several groups playing in succession. Our setup time was very limited (tear down time too) so we actually all just used our own sound and I just went into the AER instead of into a board. Uneven results but we had to move fast. I'm not the old hand at performing amplified that some people are but I'm amazed at how fast I've turned into a gearhead in order to cope with the wide range of situations in which a person can find herself performing! I love playing with the horns in Orquestra de Samba. THose guys are so good. Its thrilling to play with a brass section that plays super in tune.

I'd love to get to PT again one of these days. I attended the workshop Mike Marshall did there a few years ago with Edgar Meyer and John Clayton at Centrum. Beautiful place, and such a cool town.